Valerie
by Maxxx Colebeck
Summary: The Story of Frank Gord, played by Darren Criss, and his life before, after, and during his meeting of Valerie, played by Emma Watson. Wilfred: Robert Downey Jr. Todd: David Tennant
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

As Frank ran his hand through his long curls and wiped the tears from his eyes, he remembered where he was this time two years ago. It was the end of his last year in college and of course he was sitting in the library reading up on the latest news. Frank Gord, was nearing his last two weeks of classes, and as his father promised he was paying for a trip to London for him. He rose from his green chair and packed the articles away where they were found, as he put his glasses carefully back in his shirt pocket. Frank was rather short for his age but his afro of curly locks really made up for it. He had a tendency to not shave when he was on an article and, of course, this was his second to last of the year so he had grown almost a full beard.

Once he was outside he screamed inside his hoodie, and leaned against a brick wall near his dorm. His life was always one of stress, since his famous father always seemed to know what was best for him. Now of course Frank wanted to write, but he wanted to just write what he felt, not write about the evening news. It was all death and drama, he thought, when was there ever any happy news. He wanted to make his last two stories stick, and happy news would be the best way but this damn city had nothing exciting or happy ever happen in it.

He slupmed his way to his dorm room and knocked four times, as the door opened to see his father standing pround and tall with a beer in his hand and a freshly sown suit on. He had a well groomed black beard and a nice new hair cut. Wilfred, his father, put his hand on Franks's shoulder and smiled and then he took a large gulp of his beer.

"So, how is my boy doing?" He smiled as he whisked his hand across his beard to get the extra beer out of it.

"Look…Dad, I have a big story to write and it's due in a few days. I can't really have a father-son moment with you. Maybe a beer or two, but I have to actually get stuff done." He said as he grabbed a beer from his fridge and sat down on his old couch. It was moth eaten and a dark blue color.

His father looked really surprised. Frank was usually one to mouth off, but never to get work done.

"Okay, well all I came here to do was celebrate!" Wilfred said with a fake smile, if there ever was one.

Frank sipped his beer, and gave his father a rather confused look.

"For?" Frank got up from his couch and sat his beer down on the counter as to give a hint that he was maybe interested.

"You are now the newest reported for The London Sound." Wilfred set down his beer and made a fake clap, as he fixed his tie and got read to exit the small dorm.

"Excuse me? You came here to tell me you got me a job? Well thanks Dad, I kinda think I could have done it on my own, but whatever floats your boat. I will take it. No complaints here, but who did you have to fuck to get me this job?" Frank really hated when his father did things for him.

"I know the Editor, his name is Todd Wollworth, and he and I go way back. I was there when his wife died, and I helped get him back on his feet. He owes me big time, so I figure this makes us even. Now do you want the job, or do I walk away?" He grabbed a cigar from his coat pocket and held it out in his hand.

Frank gave a half hearted smile and ran his hands through his hair.

"As if I didn't have enough to worry about. Okay, I will take it, but I won't take the cigar. You know I don't smoke. I hate the smell. Also, does this make my trip to London permenant?"

His father put the cigar back and began to walk away.

"Yes, now get these two weeks done so I don't ever have to see your face again." He smiled to show he was kidding. He loved his son dearly but really tried to hard to impress him. Frank did not want his father's approval all he wanted was his own life.

Frank finished his beer and sat on his couch with his laptop, on his lap.

"And now for the happy story..." He spoke out loud once to many times, and led to him living alone in his dorm.

His roomates all could not stand the way he was, and how he left everything for the last minute.

He grabbed his glasses, put them on, and began to finish what would be his last happy article ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the plane landed slowly Frank rolled his fingers over the chair in front of him. Everything was over, school, his dad trouble, his mom being… well, his mom. He was in London, and he could finally be his own man. He bit his lip as he sat up and saw a line to get off the plane. He had waited his whole life to visit England but living there it was dream come true.

He had spoken a few times to the editor of The London Sound newspaper and he seemed very nice. Now 'seemed' was the key word, Frank had learned to never trust anyone in this world. He would be living in a small flat under the office he would be working at. Well, that could be good and bad. He won't be late for work ever, but his mind raced on how he would get any sleep. He would start in the mail room, of course, just writing replies to letters and eventually he would hit the big time.

Frank was fine with that, and he really wanted to meet this editor to properly thank him. As he got off the plane he drew his bright blue sunglasses out of his bag and flipped them on. It was a rather sunny day for a summer in London, but hell, he barely knew what the weather was normally like back home. He put on a rather large fake smile to show his ride was as good as he let on and went to search for .

All Frank saw was a sea of people who seemed to look the same, but one man stood out. The man had medium length brown scruffy pointed hair, and a face that could use a shave. He wore a blue suit and looked as if he was the only one in the room who knew where he was. Frank had no clue what looked like but this man seemed to fill the bill. The man saw Frank and smiled as he ran to shake his hand.

"Hi, I'm Todd Wollworth! Your father has told me so much about you. Now, I expect you are tired so we won't stand around talking here, we can go back to my place and you can get some rest. For now I have a spare room for you until you branch off."

Frank looked surprised and took off his glasses and smiled. This was one man who he knew he was going to like. He was straight to the point and knew what he needed, a good nap.

"Sounds good!" Frank replied quickly as they began to walk to Todd's car.

His car was a nice small blue car and it barely started to Frank's disbelief. Todd kicked the front and it quickly started to sputter and move. They drove and drove until they found a rather fancy looking office place with Sound written in large letters on the banner that flew across it.

"You live in your work place?" Frank asked bluntly.

Todd smiled and shook his head. He parked in the back and grabbed his key from his pocket. His hair flew in the wind as they got closer to the door and Frank held his few bags he brought with him. He really wanted to start fresh but you can never really do that. He kept his favorite things and some clothes but he knew he would be buying more of that. He was a shopped who bought just a few novelty tees and raggedy jeans.

Todd stroked his beard as he showed Frank to his room it was rather small but had a bed table and book shelf. Frank knew it's all he would need so he thanked Todd.

"This is perfect, ! Thank you so much, I am going to get some sleep but when I wake up I will tell you all about the trip and ask you everything I have to ask. I have so many questions about you, this country, and this paper." He said this all and in truth he was a very exicted young man.

Todd smiled and replied quickly. "I can tell you do. You have the same glimmer in your eyes I did when I became a journalist for my first paper. And don't think I just got you here because of your dad. I have read your stuff and it's good. Now get some sleep when you wake up dinner will be on the table. Oh, and watch out other people live here so you might see some unfamilar faces just tell them who you are!"

Frank grinned and agreed, as he fixed the bed for himself. It would be a big day for him and he had to get some rest and figure out exactly what he wanted to say to. He already knew he liked the man, from his accent wardrobe, and attitude. He was nothing like his father, so he was confused as to why they were so close but he did not care as much about that as he did about the paper.

After a few hours of sleep Frank woke up to hear a crash and a pair of voices laughing loudly. It had to be about seven at night but they sounded very, very drunk. He quickly put on a hoodie and sneaked out to see what all the ruckus was.

He flew his hand through his curls to make sure he did not look like a total good and ventured outsider to the dining room. A man was sitting at the table about Frank's age maybe a few years older and he was holding a whole bottle of wine in his fist. His long floppy hair covered one of his eyes and his long face looked not so sober. He was singing a rather bad version of not popular pop song and licking his lips as he did so.

He wore a rather funny hat, a sweater his grandmother had sown him, and purple slacks, he seemed like Frank's kinda guy apart from the wine and drunkenness. He heard Frank's footsteps and quickly tired to get up.

"Don't get up. Sorry, just seeing what all the noise was. I'm a writer for the paper and my father is friends with Mr. Wollworth." Frank said quickly as to make sure the man wasn't angry at a random man walking around.

"Oh nice, name's Luke. I'm Valerie's boyfriend. Val come over here and introduce me." Luke spoke as if he was choking on his words but he was trying to not sound as drunk as he was.

Valerie poped her head in from the next room and smiled as she was just as drunk. Her long brown locks flopped around and she licked her lips as she saw the fresh meat standing in front of her. She wore a torn up dress and too much make-up but she pulled it off. She could pull anything off, but she only tried to use the shock factor. Her father did not approve of her dating Luke but he was asleep in his office so he had no clue what was going on.

"Oh hey, Dad told me about you, but he didn't say how cute you were!" She laughed drunkenly and kissed her boyfriend long and slopply on the lips.

Frank laughed and shook both of their hands as he fixed his curls.

"Oh, you are 's daughter? He didn't mention you. I'm sorry, it's nice to meet you both!" He said this while backing away to run back to his room.

"Oh, daddy never does, but expect to see a lot of me, I'm moving back in here. No matter what he says, after mom died he needs a women in this house to make sure he takes care of himself. I mean, look at him he's sleeping in his office again." Valerie said being very serious but laughing from her drunken state.

"Well, I'm off to bed! I hope to see you both again very soon!" Frank said this and waved as he headed back to his room.

He had no idea that those two people would be the only friends he would have and they would change his life for the better and for the worse.


	3. She Came In Through the Bathroom Window

Chapter 3: She Came In Through the Bathroom Window

Frank never intended to become friends with Valerie and Luke, but things changed his first real morning in London. He woke up to a sound of a thud on his bathroom floor. Frank being his frantic nervous self grabbed a fake hockey stick he had brought from home. It was small, wooden, and had his favorite team, the Detroit Red Wings, emblem on it.

He held it above his head as to hit the intruder, but frankly he would not know what to do. He would blink and stare at the robber and let him run past. Luckily, he did not have to run in there because the bathroom door slowly opened and it was not who he expected at all. It was the boss's daughter, Valerie, rubbing her head and smiling at Frank.

"Hey, sorry about all the noise I had to find a way in without my dad knowing. I spent the night out with my boyfriend, Luke. He kicked us out last night because we were drunk. Well, I think I met you during the whole scene. Anyways, nice to meet you again and make sure and close your bathroom window so now other people jump through it."

Frank's jaw dropped as the little drunk girl from last night began to show exactly how smart, and trick she was. He wanted to reply to her little rant, but he just sat on his bed and dropped his stick softly on the pillow next to him. His mind raced with thoughts about just how he got into this brave new world, and how exactly he was going to go on and do his job.

As he laid in bed his phone rang, and it was a nice old fashioned home phone. He picked it up and asked who was speaking, and of course it was Todd asking him to come down and talk.

He put a fresh shirt and a nice pair of pants on as he fixed his curly mop with a few hands of gel. He had to look nice because this job meant a lot to him, and he did not want to lose it before he got to strut his stuff and show off his talents.

The stairs were dimly lit as Frank ran down them to the main floor where Todd had told him he was waiting. Todd was looking rather rough with his face unshaven and his hair going every which way, but he looked very cheery as he waved at Frank.

"Frank, good news, I have your first article to write. I want you to write an American's idea of London. Like take a tour and tell me what really amazes you. Take your time, I just want it by the end of week, but anyways I have got to run, oh and by the way if you see anyone else in the house don't worry, I have a daughter and she sometimes let's her jerk boyfriend stay over." Todd ran this all by Frank in a matter of minutes and then was out the spinning door and in his beat up car.

The only other person on the main floor was a rather old looking man with a stern look on his face. He put his nose back into his paper as Frank looked back. He shrugged off the old man and ran up stairs to get a good meal in before he went off to get a tour.

As he entered the living room he saw Valerie sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of vodka while eating a bag of chips. She seemed like the most unlikely daughter for the man who wanted everything perfect, but he would soon find out all three of them were more alike than what they thought. Frank ran his hands through his hair like he always does when he is nervous and trotted to the fridge.

He grabbed a glass of iced tea, and made himself a sandwich as Valerie got up and began to watch his every move. She was interested in how he moved and why he was so clumsy and nervous. She wanted to ask but even she was not that rude. He finished making the sandwich and asked her if he could sit and watch TV with her and she did not care.

She stuffed her face in the bag and let him sit next to her for about three minutes until she got up coughing. Frank had no idea why she acted so weird but he was not going to find out, though he did want to ask her about getting a tour.

"Umm hey, I was wondering if you knew where I could get a good tour of London. Your dad gave me my first job and it's just a review of the city."

She stared at him and gave a quick snort of laughter as she threw the empty bag of chips on the marble counter.

"Okay, I willl get you a tour. Meet me and Luke down on the main floor Wednesday night and we will give you our tour of the night life." She licked her lips and smiled as the words left her mouth.

He grabbed a pen and took note, since today was Monday he had a few nights to get read and he knew the only way was to sit on his laptop and read up.

"Thanks, I would love that." He smiled a fake smile and grabbed the rest of his food and headed to his room.

He really wanted an actual tour but this seemed like the best thing he could get in such short notice and, well, she seemed to be one to know fun, even if it wasn't his definition of fun. He laid on his bed and moved his hockey stick over to the floor where it belonged. Frank needed a life other than laying in bed, and pretending to be a world class writer, and maybe Luke and Valerie could give it to him.


End file.
